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Turtles Can Survive Hibernation By Breathing Through Their Butt

OMG Facts

That's right, turtle's strange ability to be able to breathe through their butts helps them get through the harsh conditions of winter. How?

Well, turtles are known to be ectotherms --- an animal that relies on an external source of heat --- which means that when things get freezing cold, they do too. Not only that, but they also have lungs that need air to breathe. When turtles hibernate, they rely on stored energy and uptake oxygen from the pond water by moving the energy to the one part of their body that is flush with blood vessels: their butt. The odd placement could be because of the turtle's hard shell, which makes it hard for them expand for the excess air and energy they need during the winter months. So the only open space is, well, their rear ends.

So maybe next time be careful how you pick up a turtle because you never know what's gonna come out of them (or in this case, in).